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Mets' Dickey the first knuckleballer to win Cy Young By combined news services

FILE - This Aug. 25, 2012 file photo shows New York Mets pitcher R.A. Dickey reacting to a big double play to end the 5th inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros at Citi Field in New York. Dickey is a favorite to take home the AL Cy Young Award, Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2012. (AP Photo/Paul J. Bereswill, File)

NEW YORK — R.A. Dickey became the first knuckleballer to win a Cy Young Award by being selected as the top National League pitcher after becoming the New York Mets' first 20-game winner since 1990.

In the American League, Tampa Bay's David Price barely beat out 2011 winner Justin Verlander for the American League prize in one of the closest votes ever.

Dickey was an easy choice for the NL honor in balloting by the Baseball Writers Association of America.

Dickey, 38, who had a 41-50 career record before this season, went 20-6 with a 2.73 earned run average and led the NL with 230 strikeouts.

"It brings a real degree of legitimacy to the knuckleball fraternity and I'm proud to represent all of them," Dickey said on a conference call. "I'm thankful to the New York Mets for the chance to work on my craft and to perfect it."

It's the fifth time a Mets pitcher has won. Tom Seaver was the Cy Young winner in 1969, 1973 and 1975. Dwight Gooden captured the award in 1985. Dickey is the first Mets pitcher to win 20 games in a season since Frank Viola 22 years ago.

The right-handed Dickey went 13-1 to start the Major League Baseball season, at one point throwing 442/3 innings without allowing an earned run. In June, he threw back-to-back one- hitters.

Runner-up two years ago, Price was the pick this time by the slimmest of margins. He received 14 of 28 first-place votes and finished with 153 points to 149 for Verlander, chosen first on 13 ballots.

Other than a 1969 tie between Mike Cuellar and Denny McLain, it was the tightest race in the history of the AL award.

Rays closer Fernando Rodney got the other first-place vote and came in fifth.

Weaver for the American League lead in victories and winning percentage. The 27-year-old lefty had the lowest ERA at 2.56 and finished sixth in strikeouts with 205.

Verlander, also the league MVP a year ago, followed that up by going 17-8 with a 2.64 ERA and pitching the Detroit Tigers to the World Series. He led the majors in strikeouts (239), innings (238 1-3) and complete games (six).

Price tossed 211 innings in 31 starts, while Verlander made 33. One factor that might have swung some votes, however: Price faced stiffer competition in the rugged AL East than Verlander did in the AL Central.

"I guess it's a blessing and a curse at the same time," Price said. "There's not an easy out in the lineups every game. It feels like a postseason game."

Weaver came in third with 70 points, but was listed second on a pair of ballots. The right-hander threw a no-hitter and had a 2.81 ERA in his first 20-win season but missed time with injuries and totaled only 188 2-3 innings for the Los Angeles Angels.

The top pick in the 2007 amateur draft out of Vanderbilt, Price reached the majors the following year and has made three straight All-Star teams.

Despite going 19-6 with a 2.72 ERA in 2010, he finished a distant second in Cy Young voting to Felix Hernandez, who won only 13 games for last-place Seattle but dominated most other statistical categories that year.

Verlander was trying to become the first AL pitcher to win back-to-back Cy Youngs since Boston's Pedro Martinez in 1999 and 2000. San Francisco right-hander Tim Lincecum did it in the National League in 2008-09.

Price and Dickey are both from Tennessee, making them the fourth pair of Cy Young winners to be born in the same state, according to STATS.

The two MVP awards will be announced today. Verlander's teammate, Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera, is a leading contender in the American League.

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